glider

A glider, also called a sailplane, is an unpowered airplane which, once launched by air or ground towing, or by using a winch, is kept
aloft by its light, aerodynamic design and the skill of the pilot in exploiting
"thermals" and other rising air currents. George Cayley built his first model glider in 1804 and in 1853 he persuaded his coachman
to undertake a short glide – the first manned heavier-than-air flight.
Otto Lilienthal made many successful
flights in his hang-gliders (planes in which the pilot hangs underneath
and controls the flight by altering his body position, hence moving the
craft's center of gravity) from
1891 until his death in a gliding accident in 1896. Later, the Wright
brothers developed gliders in which control was achieved by moving control
surfaces, as a prelude to their experiences with powered flight.